OT: BBQ in Western PA

[Pitt_Boss]

Where is the good BBQ in the greater Pittsburgh region?

I’m talking brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, etc. Ribs too, but not an only ribs joint like DeeJays, has to have all the meats.

And before a bunch of people say there is no good BBQ in Western PA, that’s fine, just want to know what’s the best of what we got.

 

[Joe Magarac]

Walter’s on Butler Street in Lawrenceville.

 

[greekpanther]

Mitch’s BBQ Wexford. Never disappointed

 

[ratking17]

Heinz field labor day weekend

 

[rmf05]

Clem's in Blairsville.

 

[KennyHeisman8]

Showcase in homewood, but don’t know if they have brisket

 

[razzaba]

Sorry Pitt Boss, gotta ask the Pit Boss on this one 😂.

Being in the Carolinas these days, it’s hard to compare good bbq, but aside from Showcase that was previously mentioned, Off The Rails in Verona is pretty dang good.

 

[BTisinDC]

Rochester Smokehouse & BBQ

 

[NCPitt]

DB's Smoking Barbecue in Lucinda.

 

[McKeesport Panther]

Where is the good BBQ in the greater Pittsburgh region?

I’m talking brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, etc. Ribs too, but not an only ribs joint like DeeJays, has to have all the meats.

And before a bunch of people say there is no good BBQ in Western PA, that’s fine, just want to know what’s the best of what we got.

Big Rig's in Monroeville is really good. Side could improve a bit, but the meat is great.

 

[thom67]

Mission bbq has best brisket around. Robinson is where I go. Sides good with fresh cut fries.

 

[Tucker99]

Mission bbq has best brisket around. Robinson is where I go. Sides good with fresh cut fries.

I was about to say the same thing. Solid pulled pork & their mac & cheese is really good.

 

[mike412]

I have been trying to find good BBQ for two years in Barcelona. It is the food I most miss from the States. There is one place that is decent, but they only have brisket on Friday night and until it runs out on Saturday night. And it is too fatty. It’s not cooked long enough either. They cook it for 6 hours which is almost obscenely way too fast for brisket.

The grilled chicken here is almost always made
a l’ast style which means “from the east” and has way too many spices. I do not want fennel and oregano on my BBQ.

Since I sold my townhouse in Santa Monica, I am in escrow to buy a condo in NE Atlanta. When I am there, I told my brother we are going to have to start making BBQ roadtrips. When he was younger, it was not uncommon for him to drive to Mississippi or North Carolina for a good steakhouse or BBQ joint.

 

[Mikefln]

Not much help, as I feel I make the best BBQ in the Burg, but I do not have a restaurant you got to be a friend.

As for ok places, Two Brothers is ok, but it seems like they are now just catering and pre-paid food truck now.

I have heard good things about Dee-Jay's in Bridgeville. The original is in Weirton and I know they have a huge loyal fan base. Again never tried it.

Clems in Blairsville as previously mentioned is good.

Sorry they is about as much as I can offer.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Wheelfish in North Hills is a good neighborhood BBQ joint but not necessarily a destination. Heard great things about Showcase but have never been there.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Where is the good BBQ in the greater Pittsburgh region?

I’m talking brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, etc. Ribs too, but not an only ribs joint like DeeJays, has to have all the meats.

And before a bunch of people say there is no good BBQ in Western PA, that’s fine, just want to know what’s the best of what we got.

Walter’s in Lawrenceville and the Southside BBQ company are good

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Walter’s in Lawrenceville and the Southside BBQ company are good

I've heard mixed things on Walter's but that was when it first opened. Maybe they improved since then.

 

[PittPharm2002]

I've heard mixed things on Walter's but that was when it first opened. Maybe they improved since then.

It’s Texas style - very peppery rub.

I like it .
I prefer a North Carolina vinegar pulled pork or Kansas City brisket -
But it’s good

 

[razzaba]

It’s Texas style - very peppery rub.

I like it .
I prefer a North Carolina vinegar pulled pork or Kansas City brisket -
But it’s good

An EASTERN North Carolina vinegar. Don’t go around claiming vinegar is North Carolina 😃

People are very particular here regarding eastern vs western!

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

I have been trying to find good BBQ for two years in Barcelona. It is the food I most miss from the States. There is one place that is decent, but they only have brisket on Friday night and until it runs out on Saturday night. And it is too fatty. It’s not cooked long enough either. They cook it for 6 hours which is almost obscenely way too fast for brisket.

The grilled chicken here is almost always made
a l’ast style which means “from the east” and has way too many spices. I do not want fennel and oregano on my BBQ.

Since I sold my townhouse in Santa Monica, I am in escrow to buy a condo in NE Atlanta. When I am there, I told my brother we are going to have to start making BBQ roadtrips. When he was younger, it was not uncommon for him to drive to Mississippi or North Carolina for a good steakhouse or BBQ joint.

Myron Mixon has won countless brisket competitions cooking brisket in 6 hours or less. You just need to cook at a higher temp. You don't need half a day to cook a good brisket.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Myron Mixon has won countless brisket competitions cooking brisket in 6 hours or less. You just need to cook at a higher temp. You don't need half a day to cook a good brisket.

I've had zero success trying to smoke those supermarket briskets at home. I think the issue is you need to smoke a whole brisket with all the fat layers, not just a small flat and it needs some decent equipment to do it right.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

I've had zero success trying to smoke those supermarket briskets at home. I think the issue is you need to smoke a whole brisket with all the fat layers, not just a small flat and it needs some decent equipment to do it right.

I never do flats. However I do trim a bunch of the fat off my briskets. There's still plenty to keep it moist. The secret is resting the brisket after.

Google Myron Mixon brisket video and watch a few. He's the king of brisket in my book.

 

[PittPharm2002]

An EASTERN North Carolina vinegar. Don’t go around claiming vinegar is North Carolina 😃

People are very particular here regarding eastern vs western!

Well - i only lived in chapel hill for 14 years so I never even tried western .

 

[PittPharm2002]

I never do flats. However I do trim a bunch of the fat off my briskets. There's still plenty to keep it moist. The secret is resting the brisket after.

Google Myron Mixon brisket video and watch a few. He's the king of brisket in my book.

Same think with pork shoulders -
All the fat cap does is make it take longer to get to temp

 

[razzaba]

Well - i only lived in chapel hill for 14 years so I never even tried western .

Allen & Sons? That was always my chapel hill go-to for real bbq. Of course many other places on Franklin had it on the menu, but not the same.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

What is weird, as a "foodie", I don't go crazy for barbecue. I mean I don't dislike it. I love a good pulled pork and a great brisket is fantastic. But it is not destination food for me.

Two things I hate about "around here" barbecue.
1) When you go to picnics or events and they have pulled pork, too many people have it a tray with sauce. That just kills it. If I want sauce, let me add my own.
2) They just kill the ribs, and not meaning that in a good way.

 

[PittPharm2002]

Allen & Sons? That was always my chapel hill go-to for real bbq. Of course many other places on Franklin had it on the menu, but not the same.

Q-shack in Durham and The Pit are my favorites .
Allen and sounds pretty good / but friends and I always did our own pork shoulders mostly .

 

[Dan1911]

Big mikes
Lemont Furnace, pa/ Uniontown.

 

[Dan1911]

I never do flats. However I do trim a bunch of the fat off my briskets. There's still plenty to keep it moist. The secret is resting the brisket after.

Google Myron Mixon brisket video and watch a few. He's the king of brisket in my book.

Wifey kills it with an electric smoker (pit Boss?). It’s best to smoke a whole brisket,imho. Had pit beef yesterday. Another nice smoke product

 

[thom67]

Not much help, as I feel I make the best BBQ in the Burg, but I do not have a restaurant you got to be a friend.

As for ok places, Two Brothers is ok, but it seems like they are now just catering and pre-paid food truck now.

I have heard good things about Dee-Jay's in Bridgeville. The original is in Weirton and I know they have a huge loyal fan base. Again never tried it.

Clems in Blairsville as previously mentioned is good.

Sorry they is about as much as I can offer.

Dee jays has very good ribs, but no brisket. Can’t have good bbq without good brisket!

 

[razzaba]

Q-shack in Durham and The Pit are my favorites .
Allen and sounds pretty good / but friends and I always did our own pork shoulders mostly .

The Pit is great and where I usually take people from out of town. Most places in the triangle are whole hog (which eastern style… western is just the dark meat/shoulder) but you can usually get eastern barbecue with any sauce. The traditional Eastern vinegar-based, Western tangy/ketchup-based, or South Carolina mustard-based, plus a spicy one.

 

[PittPharm2002]

The Pit is great and where I usually take people from out of town. Most places in the triangle are whole hog (which eastern style… western is just the dark meat/shoulder) but you can usually get eastern barbecue with any sauce. The traditional Eastern vinegar-based, Western tangy/ketchup-based, or South Carolina mustard-based, plus a spicy one.

Made my own vinegar forward sauce with red chili flakes, Tabasco , and a little ketchup heated with red / white wine vinegar mix

Dry rub is mostly salt and pepper , brown sugar , chili powder , and cumin.
Works well for ribs , too

I always used more pepper and even some ground coffee for a brisket rub , with similar ingredients- maybe swap the brown for white sugar .

 

[Safety Blitz]

I’m no BBQ expert, but the food at Federal Hill Smokehouse in Erie has been pretty darn good the couple times I’ve had it.

 

[pittguy81]

Mitch's in Wexford is always good.

 

[Lothrop605]

Clem's in Blairsville.

To be honest I wouldn’t say the meat stands out but they have the best sauce of anyone.

If you’ve had BBQ around the country, you’ll be disappointed by what Pittsburgh has to offer. Not necessarily bad but not at the level of an Austin or the Carolina’s.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Anyone else been to Naka Endzone BBQ in Crafton Heights? Primarily a rib joint but they do an excellent job.

 

[Mikefln]

To be honest I wouldn’t say the meat stands out but they have the best sauce of anyone.

If you’ve had BBQ around the country, you’ll be disappointed by what Pittsburgh has to offer. Not necessarily bad but not at the level of an Austin or the Carolina’s.

I just went to Austin and San Antonio this past March. Franklin's was too long of a line so I skipped that. I went to Terry Black's, Rudy's, & Pinkerton's. It was good, but I was expecting more. I then went to Kansas City in April, where I had Auther Bryant and Jack Stack. I found it better than Texas BBQ. In the Carolina's I have had Maurice in Columbia and Smokehouse in HHI. I liked that better than Texas style too.

I maintain that I make better BBQ then many of these establishments, though I will also admit, I am not as consistent, and I sometimes (like 2/3 times out of 10) produce an inferior product.

 

[PittPharm2002]

I just went to Austin and San Antonio this past March. Franklin's was too long of a line so I skipped that. I went to Terry Black's, Rudy's, & Pinkerton's. It was good, but I was expecting more. I then went to Kansas City in April, where I had Auther Bryant and Jack Stack. I found it better than Texas BBQ. In the Carolina's I have had Maurice in Columbia and Smokehouse in HHI. I liked that better than Texas style too.

I maintain that I make better BBQ then many of these establishments, though I will also admit, I am not as consistent, and I sometimes (like 2/3 times out of 10) produce an inferior product.

Next time in KC go to Oklahoma Joe’s or Gates for casual BBQ
Q39 for higher restaurant quality

 

[Lothrop605]

I just went to Austin and San Antonio this past March. Franklin's was too long of a line so I skipped that. I went to Terry Black's, Rudy's, & Pinkerton's. It was good, but I was expecting more. I then went to Kansas City in April, where I had Auther Bryant and Jack Stack. I found it better than Texas BBQ. In the Carolina's I have had Maurice in Columbia and Smokehouse in HHI. I liked that better than Texas style too.

I maintain that I make better BBQ then many of these establishments, though I will also admit, I am not as consistent, and I sometimes (like 2/3 times out of 10) produce an inferior product.

I’m kind of surprised to hear that. I’ve been to Franklins and few other Texas places and nobody comes close to replicating their brisket or ribs up here. Best BBQ I’ve had. Now for sure you may prefer a different style to Texas. Just depends on what you like.

At Franklins they told me how they buy meat from a specific ranch with the cows raised to Mr Franklins requirements. They just take it so seriously down there that its tough to replicate.

 

[ChiefJusticeMarshall]

I’m kind of surprised to hear that. I’ve been to Franklins and few other Texas places and nobody comes close to replicating their brisket or ribs up here. Best BBQ I’ve had. Now for sure you may prefer a different style to Texas. Just depends on what you like.

At Franklins they told me how they buy meat from a specific ranch with the cows raised to Mr Franklins requirements. They just take it so seriously down there that its tough to replicate.

Yeah I have Aaron Franklin's book. He's a complete BBQ geek.